LA GRANDE, Ore. – Jay Elmore hit four second half 3-pointers, including a go-ahead triple with 28 seconds left, as Oregon Tech rallied from a 14-point second half deficit to stun Eastern Oregon, 85-81, at Quinn Coliseum.
 
The Hustlin' Owls (5-2, 1-0 CCC) closed the game on a 17-4 run over the final five-plus minutes – getting three huge defensive stops inside the final minute to close out the win.
 
Eastern (4-2, 0-1) was seemingly in control midway through the second half – erasing a 35-32 OIT lead late in the opening period by scoring the final seven points – while riding 10-straight Garrett Hawkes points in a run that gave the hosts a 70-56 lead with 10 minutes remaining.
 
Elmore willed Tech back in the game, hitting a trio of triples, the last getting the Owls within 77-73 with three minutes to play. Following an EOU miss, Kam Osborn pulled OIT within 77-75 with a 10-foot jumper. After the teams traded baskets, Elmore grabbed a huge defensive rebound off a Jaden Hansen jumper and was rewarded at the other end – canning a 24-footer while being fouled, giving the Owls their first lead of the second half.
 
The 4-point play gave the visitors a 83-81 lead – with defense sealing the win, as Osborn secured a rebound off a game-tying attempt from Hansen – connecting on two free throws to put the game out of reach.
 
Osborn led Tech with 19 points, with Elmore scoring a season-high 16 points off the bench. Keegan Shivers scored 15 before fouling out midway through the second half, with Jackson Cooper posting 11 points and eight rebounds.
 
Hawkes had 21 points to lead EOU, who lost despite making 51-percent of their field goals.
 
OIT closes out the road trip tomorrow with a Top-25 match-up at College of Idaho, with tip-off set for 4 p.m. – live on 92.5 KLAD-FM.